Synthesis of Iron Oxide/Partly Graphitized Carbon Composites as a High-Efficiency and Low-Cost Cathode Catalyst for Microbial Fuel Cells

• DOI: 10.1021/am501844p
• Publication Date: 2014-08-01T20:21:52Z
• Authors: Ming Ma; Ying Dai; Jin-long Zou; Lei Wang; Kai Pan; Hong-gang Fu
• Keywords: Carbon fibers

Waste cornstalks and pomelo skins are used as carbon resources for preparing nanocomposites of iron oxide partly graphitized (Fe3O4/PGC-CS Fe3O4/PGC-PS). The results showed that Fe3O4 with a face-centered cubic structure is uniformly dispersed on the skeleton Fe3O4/GC, highest SBET values Fe3O4/PGC-CS (476.5 m2 g–1) Fe3O4/PGC-PS (547.7 obtained at 1000 °C. electrical conductivity density catalytic active sites correspondingly improved by introduction Fe species. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) mixed composite (Fe3O4/PGC-CS:Fe3O4/PGC-PS = 1:1) cathode (three-dimensional structures) generate power 1502 ± 30 mW m–2, which 26.01% higher than Pt/C (1192 33 m–2) only declines 7.12% after 18 cycles. has Coulombic efficiency (24.3 0.7%). Fe3O4/PGC composites exhibit high oxygen reduction reactivity, low charge transfer resistances, long-term stability can be low-cost high-efficiency catalyst MFCs.